Bulletproof
by Skylark Evanson
Summary: The dark teen jumped in front of Ben just in time to take a bullet to the chest.


**A/N: Idea.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10.**

* * *

><p><strong><em>Bulletproof<em>**

No one could've seen it coming. The only exception to that was Paradox, but then again, he saw everything.

It only took a split second for one of Sevenseven's laser bullets to fire off at Ben. There was one more split second for Kevin to realize this and try to block it. He's taken hits harder before; a bullet in his chest wouldn't be so bad since he had armor on. Kevin figured he was stronger than Ben was since the bearer of the Ultimatrix was defenseless, in his human form and unable to transform fast enough.

So Kevin did what he thought would save his best friend's life. The dark teen jumped in front of Ben just in time to take a bullet to the chest.

He'd already been hit by more than enough lasers and blasts from Sevenseven; his armor had been worn down just a bit, a few holes here and there. He never would've guessed that that single bullet would pierce his skin through the only hole on his chest. Kevin wouldn't have done it had he thought he would've gotten severely hurt.

He was the kind of guy who would do anything to get what he wanted. In this case, he wanted his only friend to not get hurt. And he got what he wanted, a bullet tearing through his skin right below his heart, pain searing through his skin and through his chest. A howl of pain was ripped from his throat before he hit the ground while clutching the wound in agony.

Ben had seen what went down in slow motion. His mind had watched it all go by in a matter of minutes instead of the few seconds that it really was. His heart thundered behind his ribs, threatening to burst out. He had seen the shot strike his best friend, and he had seen Kevin fall to the ground. It was all so painfully slow to watch as he saw it all go down right before his eyes; he knew this would haunt his darkest nightmares for years to come.

It didn't even take a nanosecond after Kevin had crumpled for Ben to spring into action. His hand had slapped down on the dial of the Ultimatrix, and Ben was leaping into action with the fiery fury of a thousand demons. His /best friend/ had been shot. His only true friend. The kid he had once hated, more than once wanted dead. No, if Kevin was going to die on him after all these years, some primal instinct inside of Ben was obsessed with both revenge and the sick, twisted wanting to be the one to kill Kevin. No, he wasn't getting away with dying because of someone else, not after all these years.

The first thing on Tennyson's mind was to take down Sevenseven and make sure he had breathed his last breath. So Ben took Swampfire's fist to the Sotoraggian's face, denting the armor that covered his ugly mug. Then a kick to the chest. Then a blast of heat to damage the metal. Another punch, another kick. It was only when the body was unmoving and covered in nearly melted metal that Ben felt he could stop. A green glow consumed him and in Swampfire's place stood Ben Tennyson again, his face concerned as he turned and began to go to Kevin who still hadn't gotten up from where he had fallen.

"Why did you do that?" hissed Ben, one hand on his friend's shoulder as he tried to turn him over so he could see the wound. "It would've missed me!"

After wincing at Ben's efforts to move him, Kevin sighed heavily, his breath growing short. "Man, you would be dead right now if I hadn't jumped in the way," huffed the Osmosian. "It's the way it's supposed to be."

"What are you talking about?" asked Ben. From where he was standing (well, kneeling technically), Kevin sounded just a bit crazy. "You're not supposed to die, Kev! God, what were you thinking?"

Maybe something about this moment was symbolic for him. It was only as he lay there trying to staunch the bloodflow that he realized how ironic this was. A faint snicker passed his lips. "My dad. Your grandpa." He was taking in air with mere gasps. "Me. You." His eyes were fighting to stay open. He was losing a lot of blood. "Don't you get it, Tennyson? It's the way we're gonna be."

Jade eyes widening, Ben shoved Kevin over so he could get a good look at where the bullet had struck. The brunette boy cringed when Kevin cried out. "You aren't getting away that easy, Levin. Not on my watch." It was only after he had said it that he realized the pun. Kevin was grinning. "Shut up."

"Don't gotta worry about that for much longer."

"Stop it, seriously." Ben peeled Kevin's hand away from the injury. All he could see was scarlet blood. It was on Kevin's hands. It was on Kevin's armor. It was on the floor. It was everywhere. So much blood. "I'll get Gwe-"

Now it was Kevin's turn to have the wide eyes. "No, Benji, don't you dare." He was struggling to stay awake. "She doesn't need to see this. I don't- I don't want her to be here, okay?" He was trying to sit up only to have Ben push him down again; Kevin knew he couldn't be taken seriously unless he had the upper hand and being on the ground didn't help much with that.

"Hold still," instructed Ben as he tried to keep from being disgusted. He pulled off his jacket and placed it over Kevin's wound before pushing down. Tennyson's only hope was to be able to keep Kevin from bleeding out before Gwen could get there. He needed Gwen there. None of his aliens could really do much, could they? Swampfire, maybe, but that was a huge risk... "Just be quiet. Save your breath."

"Benji."

The way he had said it... The way his voice sounded so pitiful... The way Ben could feel the beating of his best friend's heart fading... "Come on, at least try, please." Ben wasn't about to cry, no matter how hot the tears burned in his eyes; he wouldn't cry. "You can't just give up."

"I saved you. My dad saved your grandpa. If I ever had a kid, he'd be savin' your kid's ass." Kevin managed a choked little laugh. "It's the way we are, Tennyson. We're linked by blood. The only reason I can save you now-" A cough cut off his words for a moment. Blood soaked through Ben's green jacket a little bit more, red stains shining through. "-is because of what my dad did. I wouldn't be who I am if my dad had lived, Tennyson. I wouldn't be part of this team." Another cough. More blood. So much red... "It's a chain-reaction. Domino-effect. Levins will always save Tennysons, got that?"

Hope wasn't something Ben had anymore. Kevin was saying his dying words and Ben knew it. His heart sank in his chest, but he still didn't stop from trying to stop the bleeding.

Kevin reached up and ruffled Ben's hair, knowing he wanted the kid to remember something good. "Tell your cousin I was totally in love with her and tell her that her engagement ring is in the bottom drawer of my dresser." His obsidian gaze held the jade eyes of the Tennyson boy. "And I just want you to know that you're the best friend a guy could ask for. Don't forget it."

Those hot tears spilled down Ben's face; he couldn't hold them back any longer. "Kevin..."

"You're worth so much more than I ever was, Ben." His voice was strong only for a moment. "I had to." And those dark eyes fell shut for the final time, his chest finally caving under the effort of breathing. His skin had been growing paler and paler until it was nearly the color of fresh snow. And Kevin Levin was gone, leaving in his wake a living Tennyson, one who could only tell good things about the hero who had died in his arms. His best friend.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: GRAH! I couldn't stop myself from writing it. I couldn't. Urgh… Sorry for all the recent angst. Can't do much about it. I'm compelled to write it. So review please?**

**~Sky**


End file.
